Chosen – Matthew 11:25-30

Posted on by

“All things have been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal him. Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:27-30, CSB).

Do you remember when you were in school and you divided into two teams to play a game at recess or P.E.? Probably the most popular or most athletic kids were selected to be the team captains and pick the players for their respective teams. I never was the most athletic or most popular kid in school, so I never got picked first and always worried that I would be picked last!

In Matthew 11 John the Baptist had been arrested and incarcerated by Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee. John sent some of his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the coming Messiah. Jesus sent John’s disciples back to report what they heard and saw of Jesus’ ministry: “The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news, and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me” (vs. 5-6).

Jesus proceeded to extol the ministry of John the Baptist to His disciples and the townspeople that were listening to him and then denounced their unbelief: “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (vs. 18-19).

Jesus then offered a public prayer for those disciples and townspeople still listening to Him.“I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants” (vs. 25).

Next, Jesus made a declaration that I have read many, many times but this time His words seemed to transcend my theological viewpoints and pierce my heart. It was like I was a kid back on the playground and we were choosing up teams and Jesus picked me to be on His team!

Jesus is like the recruiter for God’s team because He knows whom the Father wants on the team. And for whatever reason, God only knows, Jesus chose me for the team! Weary and burdened me! Gripey, grouchy me! Lazy and untalented me! Angry, intolerant me! Anxious and inconfident me.

Nevertheless, Jesus picked me!

Prevenient grace? Predestination and Free Will? It doesn’t really matter what theological camp I come from.

Because Jesus picked me!

And, I don’t have to adhere to some theological viewpoint to make Jesus’ team. Jesus knows what the Father’s will is and the Father has entrusted Jesus to carry out that will.

Now, I’m on the team and I’m practicing to be a better team player.

Perhaps in these posts I can help some of you new recruits as you practice to become better team players….

The Lord has called you.… (Isaiah 54:6, CSB)

The Nicodemus Dilemma – John 3:1-21

Posted on by

“How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus (John 3:9, CSB).

During the twilight discussion between Jesus and Nicodemus, an iconic declaration is spoken by Jesus that is often included in tracts, sermons and Sunday School lessons: John 3:3: “Unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

But little is discussed of Nicodemus’ side of the conversation and what he said to prompt Jesus to make this momentous pronouncement.

John indicates that Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival at the beginning of his ministry. During the Passover Festival Jesus drove the money changers from the Temple and performed many miracles. As a result of the miracles many people in Jerusalem believed that Jesus was the Messiah (see John 2:13-25).

Probably during this Passover Festival in Jerusalem Nicodemus held his meeting with Jesus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews and came to Jesus at night. Maybe Nicodemus was trying to avoid public scrutiny because of his religious and political position or he wanted to have a one-on-one conversation with Jesus when there weren’t crowds surrounding Jesus.

Having witnessed Jesus’ ministry in Jerusalem, Nicodemus apparently felt a disconnect between his religious understanding and what he observed in the ministry of Jesus at Jerusalem. Nicodemus’ dilemma is apparent in the questions he asked Jesus during their discussion.

Continue reading →

Modern Idols – Deuteronomy 5

Posted on by

Do not have other gods besides me. Do not make an idol for yourself in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them, because I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commands (Deuteronomy 5:7-10, CSB; the first and second commandments of the Ten Commandments).

The first two commandments of the Ten Commandments address the worship of God. The first commands us to worship only the one true God and the second commands us to worship God in the correct way (or avoid idolatry).

The word “worship” is related to the idea of ascribing worth to something. We worship what we think is worthy or important.

What you think is important is a priority in your life. It’s what you idolize. And, it’s what you worship.

The litmus test of a priority is what you spend your time and money on. And, what you spend your time and money on is likely what you talk and think about. So, the things that are really important to you are those things you spend your time and money doing and talking and thinking about.

Continue reading →

A Little Jesus – Matthew 16:24-28

Posted on by

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life? (Matthew 16:24-26, CSB).

A friend gave my wife a little figurine of Jesus and told her that “everyone needs a little Jesus.” I have started to notice these little Jesus figurines in lots of places. Recently, I pulled into the gas station to fill up the car with gas and there were little Jesus figurines holding “God Bless You” banners on all the gas pumps!

Although I am not keen on images or pictures of Jesus, I can certainly appreciate the play on words and the sentiment, “Everybody needs a little Jesus!”

But, the Bible and Jesus Himself explained that the amount of Jesus everybody needs is a whole lot more than just a little! In these verses from Matthew 16, the scenario Jesus described to His disciples was one of a condemned person carrying a cross on the way to execution. This imagery was certainly recognizable to His disciples as a form of capital punishment in the Roman Empire.

Continue reading →

The Easy Way or The Hard Way – Revelation 7

Posted on by

Then one of the elders asked me, “Who are these people in white robes, and where did they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” Then he told me: These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb…. The one seated on the throne will shelter them: They will no longer hunger; they will no longer thirst; the sun will no longer strike them, nor will any scorching heat. For the Lamb who is at the center of the throne will shepherd them; he will guide them to springs of the waters of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes (Revelation 7:13-17, CSB).

Have you ever told somebody or been told by somebody, “There’s an easy way or there’s a hard way.”

Usually we’re saying that to somebody who is over-complicating a task or just being stubborn because they want to do things their own way even if there’s an easier or better way to do it.

The Book of Revelation describes a group of people who have chosen to enter God’s Kingdom THE HARD WAY!

Continue reading →

Sacred Rod- Numbers 20:1-13

Posted on by

But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me to demonstrate my holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land I have given them.” These are the Waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord, and he demonstrated his holiness to them (Numbers 20:12-13 CSB).

In Numbers 20 the Israelites were nearing the end of their 40-year wilderness wandering. They encamped near the southern border of the land of Canaan at Kadesh, the same place they encamped when they sent the spies in to reconnoiter the Promised Land 40 years earlier.

Due to the scarcity of water, the Israelites assembled against Moses and protested their return to Kadesh: “Why have you led us up from Egypt to bring us to this evil place?” (vs. 5).

Faced with escalating tensions over the water shortage, Moses and Aaron hurried away from the agitated crowd and took refuge in the tent of meeting (tabernacle). Inside the tabernacle they fell face down to intercede before the Lord on behalf of the people.

In response to Moses’ and Aaron’s intercession, the glory of God appeared to them. God told them to take the staff from the tent of meeting, assemble the people at the rock (probably rock face of the side of a hill or mountain). Then, speak to the rock while the people watch and the rock will yield its water (vs. 7-8).

Continue reading →

Jesus: Emotional Supporter or Revolutionary Ringleader – John 14:1-16

Posted on by

“Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life'” (John 14:5-6, NIV).

Recently, I was standing in the Sunday morning contemporary church service singing the lyrics of a worship song. As we sang the words of the chorus a few too many times it caused me to wonder if these lyrics were even biblical.

Did Jesus come to hold my hand and help me through all my problems? Did he come to make me feel better about myself?

Sometimes our worship songs and even our preaching romanticizes the unconditional love of God so that Jesus is portrayed as our best friend who is always ready to support our emotional needs whenever we’re confronted with problems.

But, if we want to put God’s love in some sort of context, I think God’s love is more like the unconditional love of a good parent than the affection of a best friend.

Continue reading →

The Next Big Thing

Posted on by

“My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:10-14, CSB).

Successful business people are successful because they are forward-thinking. They don’t linger or loiter in current achievements no matter how great those achievements may be. Their current success doesn’t bind them to the status quo.

They are always looking ahead. They are always striving for the next big thing!

Because there is always a new project, an unreached goal out there to attain. There is always a next new accomplishment.

Continue reading →

Emancipation Proclamation – Hebrews 13:1-8

Posted on by 
First published December 2, 2014 and edited for re-publication here.
Emancipation_Proclamation

“Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:7-8, NASB).

Recently in the men’s Sunday School class I attend, the lesson was from Hebrews 13. And, this lesson from Hebrews 13 helped me resolve a theological dilemma I had wrestled with from Romans 6-8.

But, I love it when that happens! It reinforces the consistency of the Bible to me and why I should read and study all of it over and over again. And, of course, why it is so important for the Holy Spirit to enlighten us and counsel us when we study God’s word.

Let me explain…

Continue reading →

Crybaby Christians – Hebrews 12:1-13

Posted on by

“Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed instead” (Hebrews 12:12-13, CSB).

In the first half of Hebrews 12, the Hebrews writer expounds on a saying from Proverbs in the Old Testament: “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and punishes every son he receives” (Hebrews 12:6, Proverbs 3:12).

First, the Hebrews writer reminds the Hebrew Christians that any suffering they are experiencing is not nearly as much as what Jesus, the Son of God, endured to the extent of shedding His blood from flogging and crucifixion.

Next, the Hebrews writer explains that when you do suffer, consider it the discipline of the Lord. Because the Lord disciplines His children with the same intent as a human father disciplines his children.

So, Christian suffering is the Lord’s discipline exacted upon His children in love to learn His righteousness.

Continue reading →